Bracket for adjustably supporting a mattress spring frame

ABSTRACT

A molded plastic bracket including an elongated base for vertical disposition e.g., on a crib post, a series of spaced hooks on the base, each hook having a bight greater than the entrance thereinto, and in some cases apertured lips at one or both ends of the base integral therewith. The brackets are molded on a curve to fit more snugly against the post, and may be made in several different versions for accepting the mattress hangers from different aspects.

United States Patent 91 Neunherz et al.

[ BRACKET FOR ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTING A MATTRESS SPRING FRAME [75] Inventors: Herbert W. Neunherz; Robert G. Bryant, both of Gardner, Mass. I

[73] Assignee: Gem Industries,Inc.,Gardner,.Mass.-

[22] Filed: Dec. 27, 1971 [211 App]. No.: 211,988

52 us. Cl. 5/1'1, 5/100 [51] Int. Cl. A47c 17/14 [58] Field of Search 5/11, 99-100, 5/63 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,646,622 3/1972 Van Riper, Jr. 5/l' 0O 2,641,772 6/1953 Cook 5/11 [451 Sept. 25, 1973 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 524,393 5/1956 Canada 5/l I Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg Attorney-Charles R. Fay

571 ABSTRACT A molded plastic bracket including an elongated base for vertical disposition e.g., on a crib post, a series of spaced hooks on the base, each hook having a bight greater than the entrance thereinto, and in some cases apertured lips at one or both ends of the base integral therewith. The brackets are molded on a curve to fit more snugly against the post, and may be made in several different versions for accepting the mattress hangers from different aspects.

5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures r if I BRACKET FOR ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTING A MATTRESS SPRING FRAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has long been custbmary to provide infant's cribs with metal brackets having punched out hooks for adjustably supporting mattress spring frames so that the leased because of metal to "metal contact. Also the I metal punching produces burrs in some cases and the sizes of the hook openings are difficult to control with metals of different hardnesses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a unitary molded one piece plastic bracket of elongated form with integral spaced hooks which not only firmly hold the hangers on pins on the mattress spring frames so that they cannot accidentally become detached, but also provide for a more silent adjustment of the parts, and a firmer fastening means for the plastic bracket to the crib, e.g., corner post. The brackets are originally molded on a curve so that when secured to the crib at the bracket ends, they are very snugly held. Different forms of the invention present the hooks at different aspects for accommodation of different kinds of mattress frames.

BRIEF DEsCRIP ION o1 THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is afviewin front elevation of one form of bracket attached to a corner post;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation looking in the direction of arrow 2 in FIG. 1;,

FIG. 3is a rear view of the bracket of FIG. 1'; FIG. 4 is asection'on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a viewin elevation of "a different form of the invention; I

FIGS. 61and7 are views in elevation of still'further forms of the' invention; and I I FIG. 8 is a view in sideelevation of FIG. 7.

DES RIP ION OF, THE PR FERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, in FIG. 1 there is shown what may be a generally conventional crib corner post 10, a crib drop side. rod 12 of more or less usual construction on which is the vertically slidable drop side not shown but well understood in the art.

The drop side may be provided with any kind of well known mechanism for latching them, but these form no part of thepresent invention and any well known mechanism of this kind can be utilized to hold the drop side in its uppermost position as will be clear to those skilled in the art. I

A mattress spring frame is generally indicated at 14 upon which the mattress, not shown, is supported. This frame is provided with offset end hangers or pins gener- The brackets 20 are molded of plastic in one piece and each comprises an elongated base 24 having laterally extending end lips 26, 26 strengthened by side flanges 38, 38 and having apertures therein for the reception of the drop rod 12, holding and stabilizing the same generally silently because of the plastic nature of the bracket. The hooks 18 are integrally molded with the bases, and are arranged in vertical series.

Each hook has a bight which is indicated at 40 and an entrance 42 for the hanger or pin 16 of the mattress spring frame. Each hanger or pin 28 is of a size to generally fit the bight of the hook and is greater in diameter than the entrance to the bight. They are snapped down through the entrances, the hooks yielding sufficiently to receive the pins and hold them tight. On the other hand it is a simple matter to raise the pins to reposition the mattress spring frame as desired.

The hooks 30 being molded in one piece with the base, there are provided openings 44 in the base through which cavity-forming means may extend from the respective parts of the die in which the device is molded to form the hooks. Convenient holes 46 are provided in thickened areas to provide strong screw holes.

The entire base may be originally molded on a slight curve which is indicated at 50 in FIG. 2 and shown in dotted lines. When the screws or other fasteners are used to secure the bracket base to the corner post, the base is therefore compressed slightly and forms a part of a resilient or lock washer effect for the fasteners, so

that they will never become loose.

FIG. 5 shows a modification of the bracket structure of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 wherein the hooks which are indicated at 18a are again integrally'molded on the base 24a, but in this case the hooks extend in the opposite direction and the base 24a is mounted on the corner posts 10a by means of offset ribs 52 having apertures for the reception of the fasteners "for securing the device to the corner posts. In this case the hooks are directed toward the corner posts, and the hangers or pins for snapping into the hooks 18a, although operating in substantially the same manner, must necessarily reach in behind the base 24a from the right-hand side of the post 10a as seen in FIG. 5. The apertured lips 26a may or may not be utilized and if desired strengthening webs or the like 54 can be provided also.

In FIG. 6 there is shown still a different form of the invention. The crib post is shown at'l0b and the hooks at 18b. In this case the bracket base 24b is located at a 90 angle with respect to the apertured end pieces ally indicated at 16, and these are selectively mounted 52b for presenting the hooks to the left-hand side of the base 24b and thesehooks are at with respect to the hooks 18 whereas hooks 18a are reversed at with respect to books 18.

In FIG. .7 there is shown a reverse adaptation of the structure shown in FIG. 6 wherein the hooks 18c extend'to the right-hand side of base 24c but otherwise the construction is the same as before. It is also to be noted that the bracket 20b can beapplied either. to the right or left-hand corner post and of course the same is also true of the bracket 20c-shown in FIG. 7. In both FIGS. 6 and 7 it is necessary to have an opening as at 54 for reception of the hanger between the post 10b, 10c, and the area of the hooks 18b, 180.

We claim:

l. A bed of the type having a pair of end members, a mattress spring frame and supporting pins on the spring frame,

a one-piece molded plastic mattress spring frame supporting bracket for each end member, each bracket including an elongated base, integral molded plastic means mounting each base on an end member,

and at least one integral molded plastic hook on each base, the hook having a bight of a size to receive a supporting pin on the mattress spring frame, the entrance to the bight being narrower than the diameter of the pin, said supporting pin being snapped past the entrance into said bight to be firmly held therein,

flanges on said bracket end portions supporting and strengthening the same, said flanges extending vertically both up and down on the base with respect to said bracket end portions.

2. A bed of the type having a pair of end members,

a mattress spring frame and supporting pins on the spring frame,

a one-piece molded plastic mattress spring frame supporting bracket for each end member, each bracket including an elongated base, integral molded plastic means mounting each base on an end member,

and at least one integral molded plastic hook on each base, the hook having a bight of a size to receive a supporting pin on the mattress spring frame, the entrance to the bight being narrower than the diameter of the pin, said supporting pin being snapped past the entrance into said bight being to be firmly held therein,

the base of the bracket being normally curved from end to end, and means mounting the bracket base to the respective comer post flattening the base to conform thereto.

3. A bed of the type having a pair of end members,

a mattress spring frame and supporting pins on the spring frame,

a one-piece molded plastic mattress spring frame supporting bracket for each end member, each bracket including an elongated base, integral molded plastic means mounting each base on an end member,

and at least one integral molded plastic hook on each base, the hook having a bight of a size to receive a supporting pin on the mattress spring frame, the entrance to the bight being narrower than the diameter of the pin, said supporting pin being snapped past the entrance into said bight to be firmly held therein,

the means on each base for mounting the same extending toward the respective end member leaving a space between the base and the end member.

4. The bed of claim 3 wherein the hook is located in said space and faces the end member.

5. The bed of claim 3 wherein the hook projects laterally from the base, the base being located at right angles to the end member. 

1. A bed of the type having a pair of end members, a mattress spring frame and supporting pins on the spring frame, a one-piece molded plastic mattress spring frame supporting bracket for each end member, each bracket including an elongated base, integral molded plastic means mounting each base on an end member, and at least one integral molded plastic hook on each base, the hook having a bight of a size to receive a supporting pin on the mattress spring frame, the entrance to the bight being narroweR than the diameter of the pin, said supporting pin being snapped past the entrance into said bight to be firmly held therein, flanges on said bracket end portions supporting and strengthening the same, said flanges extending vertically both up and down on the base with respect to said bracket end portions.
 2. A bed of the type having a pair of end members, a mattress spring frame and supporting pins on the spring frame, a one-piece molded plastic mattress spring frame supporting bracket for each end member, each bracket including an elongated base, integral molded plastic means mounting each base on an end member, and at least one integral molded plastic hook on each base, the hook having a bight of a size to receive a supporting pin on the mattress spring frame, the entrance to the bight being narrower than the diameter of the pin, said supporting pin being snapped past the entrance into said bight being to be firmly held therein, the base of the bracket being normally curved from end to end, and means mounting the bracket base to the respective corner post flattening the base to conform thereto.
 3. A bed of the type having a pair of end members, a mattress spring frame and supporting pins on the spring frame, a one-piece molded plastic mattress spring frame supporting bracket for each end member, each bracket including an elongated base, integral molded plastic means mounting each base on an end member, and at least one integral molded plastic hook on each base, the hook having a bight of a size to receive a supporting pin on the mattress spring frame, the entrance to the bight being narrower than the diameter of the pin, said supporting pin being snapped past the entrance into said bight to be firmly held therein, the means on each base for mounting the same extending toward the respective end member leaving a space between the base and the end member.
 4. The bed of claim 3 wherein the hook is located in said space and faces the end member.
 5. The bed of claim 3 wherein the hook projects laterally from the base, the base being located at right angles to the end member. 